Saturday

From the lack of protection on both lines to the jaded formations indicating a weary Hawks team, you can tell they've got some work to do.

Eastern Wayne shut out North Lenoir, 36-0, in Friday's season opener in La Grange. The Hawks only entered the Warriors' red zone once, an opportunity that came in the last quarter and disappeared with a turnover on downs inside the 5-yard line. At least by then, Eastern Wayne was done scoring for the night.

It was the second year in a row Eastern Wayne, who formerly shared a conference with North Lenoir, beat the Hawks shutout style, but North Lenoir only allowed 13 on the Goldsboro stage last season. North Lenoir will start its season off 0-1 while Eastern Wayne goes 1-0 in Week 1.

On Friday, the Hawks were only down 6-0 after a lightening delay held up the contest for more than an hour. Warriors quarterback Mitch Pike handed off to running back Lavoris Vick after faking up the middle on the 9-yard line to score the game's first touchdown near the end of opening quarter. The extra point was no good, and the Warriors nearly recovered Hawks fumble after kicking back to North Lenoir.

Hawks running back Donyae Hopkins gained a big 20 yards from his own 29, giving the home team a chance to steal the momentum early. But the North Lenoir punting unit appeared time after time Friday night. Late in the game, they gambled with a few third down conversions, which were spoiled by penalties and seemingly feeble offensive and defensive lines.

North Lenoir quarterback Landon Baker felt the pressure Friday, and he had two sacks for a loss of 15 total yards in the third quarter to prove it.

"It was a lot of frustrations there," he said. "I didn't completely pass tonight and every time I turned around, it was someone there. I don’t want to blame anyone, but I just didn't have any blockers tonight."

North Lenoir lost more than 50 yards on downs, not including a pair of fourth-quarter penalties costing them 25 yards.

Eastern Wayne wasn't exactly perfect in executing its playmaking, dropping a slippery pigskin three times to lose yards after the lightening delay, but the Warriors made up for it in scoring at least once in each quarter.

After Pike, who executed beautifuly-crafted handoffs throughout the game, connected with Eastern Wayne wide receiver Malik Richard for an 18-yard touchdown pass – which put the Warriors up 12-0 after a failed two-point conversion play, the quarterback was back at it early in the third quarter. Pike also passed to wide receiver Deshawn Boudy from their own 38, and Boudy crushed nearly 60 yards to the end zone to score the first of two Eastern Wayne third-quarter touchdowns.

Before they scored for a second one, Hopkins (5-9) nearly pounced over the head of Richard (6-2) to stop him at the Hawks 12-yard line, as the Warriors receiver was headed for the end zone again.

Eastern Wayne would score on each of their next two possessions, with kicker Colton Jones acing two extra-point chances. Eastern Wayne faked a kick as they went up for the eventual final score, 32-0.

Although you couldn't tell on the field, the Hawks had surprisingly good post-game attitudes.

"We're going to play from kickoff until the time runs off the clock, that's just how we do here at North Lenoir," said head coach Calvin Sutton.

He said the team won't have to do much different going into Week 2 on the road against Farmville Central. North Lenoirwill play the next three games away.

"They played their hearts out, for what we've got, they played their hearts out," he said. "If we can do that every week, then I'm happy."

But a positive outlook doesn’t change North Lenoir's roster, which only has seven seniors.

"We're playing a lot of younger guys," Sutton said. "That's going to be something we have to overcome. There are young guys everywhere, not just on the line, but everywhere."

Only one of the North Lenoir linemen is a senior, while five are sophomores.

Hopkins, a starting junior, said having a stronger line starts with the player.

"If I keep my head up, my line's going to keep their head up," he said. "As long as I keep them focused, I'm going to stay focused."

Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 and Jessika.Morgan@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.

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